Rome -- History -- To 510 B.C.; Romulus, King of Rome
Romulus faithfully fulfilled the vow which he had made to Jupiter. On
the return of the army to Rome, the soldiers, by his directions, cut
down a small oak-tree, and trimming the branches at the top, and
shortening them as much as was necessary for the purpose, they hung
the weapons and armor of Acron upon it, and marched with it thus, in
triumph into the city. Romulus walked in the midst of the procession,
a crown of laurel upon his head, and his long hair hanging down upon
his shoulders. Thus the victors entered the city, greeted all the way
by the shouts and acclamations of the people, who had assembled,--men,
women, and children,--at the gates and upon the tops of the houses.
When the long procession had thus passed in, tables for the soldiers
were spread in the streets and public squares, and the whole day was
spent in festivity and rejoicing. This was the first Roman
triumph,--the original model and example of those magnificent and
imposing spectacles which in subsequent ages became the wonder of the
world.
The spoils which had been brought in upon the oak were solemnly set
up, on one of the hills within the city, as a trophy to Jupiter. A
small temple was erected expressly to receive them. This temple was
very small, being but five feet wide and ten feet long.
A short time after these transactions two other cities were
incorporated into the Roman state. The name of these cities were
Crustumenium and Antemnæ. Some women from these cities had been seized
at Rome when the Sabine women were taken, and the inhabitants had been
ever since that period meditating plans of revenge. They were not
strong enough to wage open war against Romulus, but they began at last
to make hostile incursions into the Roman territories by means of such
small bands of armed men as they had the means of raising. Romulus
immediately organized bodies of troops sufficient for the purpose, and
then suddenly, and, as it would seem, without giving the kings of
these cities any previous warning, he appeared before the walls and
captured the cities before the inhabitants had time to recover from
their consternation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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